A Reflection on Matthew 20:20-28
The Gospel passage from Matthew reveals a profound misunderstanding that continues to challenge us today. When the mother of James and John approached Jesus seeking positions of honor for her sons, she exemplified our human tendency to measure worth through worldly standards of prestige and power. Her request, though born from motherly love and ambition, demonstrated how easily we can miss the radical nature of Jesus' message. Our Lord's response, asking if they could drink from His cup, points to the reality that authentic discipleship requires suffering and sacrifice, not the accumulation of earthly accolades. The cup Jesus speaks of represents His passion, His complete surrender to the Father's will, and His ultimate act of love through death on the cross.
Our contemporary culture perpetuates the same misconceptions that troubled the early disciples, but the root of this error lies in our fundamental struggle with humility before God. Pride whispers that we deserve recognition, that our talents and achievements make us worthy of praise and position. This ancient temptation, first glimpsed in Eden, convinces us that we can somehow elevate ourselves to God's level through our own efforts. True humility, however, requires us to acknowledge the devastating truth of our complete dependence on God's grace. We possess nothing that was not first given to us; every breath, every ability, every moment of existence flows from His infinite generosity. When we stand honestly before the Lord in prayer, stripped of pretense and worldly accomplishments, we discover our authentic identity as beloved children who owe everything to our Father's love. This humility is not self-deprecation but rather the courage to see ourselves as God sees us, precious in His sight, yet utterly dependent on His mercy.
The image of Jesus washing the disciples' feet at the Last Supper provides the perfect illustration of divine humility made manifest. Here was the Son of God, before whom every knee shall bow, choosing to kneel before fallen creatures with a towel and basin. This act reveals that humility is not weakness but the ultimate expression of divine strength, the confidence to serve others without needing anything in return. Jesus' humility extends far beyond this single gesture; His entire Incarnation represents the ultimate act of self-emptying, the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us despite our unworthiness. When we cultivate genuine humility, we begin to mirror His characteristics, recognizing that every opportunity to serve is a privilege, not a burden. The humble heart finds joy in hidden acts of love, caring for the forgotten, praying for enemies, or accepting criticism without defense, because it seeks only to please God rather than impress others. This profound humility transforms even the simplest tasks into acts of worship, making our entire lives a continuous offering of gratitude to the One who first humbled Himself for our salvation.
Today's Feast of Saint James reminds us that the Apostle who once sought earthly glory ultimately found true greatness through the radical humility of martyrdom. His transformation from ambitious disciple to faithful witness required him to confront the pride that initially blinded him to Jesus' true message. James learned that humility before God demands nothing less than the complete surrender of our will to divine providence, trusting that the Father's plan surpasses our limited understanding. St. James' journey illustrates how authentic humility grows through embracing our sufferings and failures as opportunities for grace rather than obstacles to overcome. We are all called to this same profound humility, to approach the throne of God not as creditors demanding payment for our good works, but as beggars grateful for every undeserved blessing. True humility recognizes that even our desire to be humble comes from God's grace working within us. In this spirit of complete dependence, we discover that the lower we place ourselves before the Lord, the higher He lifts us in His mercy, not because we have earned it, but because His love delights in raising up the lowly and filling the humble heart with His presence.
This was a lot of fun to write.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
